Still Waiting on Jimmy Rollins to Get Going

In 2007 Jimmy Rollins got off to a hot start and it showed what  he is capable of, but it didn't last.

That season, Rollins finished the season with a .296 average, 30 home runs, 38 doubles, 20 triples, 139 runs scored and 41 stolen bases.  Simply put, he was the best player in the league.

The Phillies are counting on Rollin's 2012 season being more like the 2007 season. It hasn't so far, as Rollins has just four hits in his first 16 at-bats.

While Rollin's slow start is concerning, the Phillies should give the shortstop plenty of time before making any moves in the line-up.

Just four games into the Phillies season there hasn't been a whole lot to be positive about and the one thing you had hoped to see - Rollins getting off to a hot started, just hasn't happened yet.  If you try to take one positive out of every Phillies game, so far Rollins play hasn't been it.

If the 2012 Phillies offense is going to succeed without Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins is going to have to be the go-to-guy.  At time in 2007, Rollins carried the Phillies offense, he was a force, he was a presence that could keep them in the game with a home run, with a stolen base and with his skill set there are so many ways that Rollins should be able to hurt opposing teams.

It's not that Rollins isn't hitting right now, he has a couple of hits on Monday against the Marlins and stole a base but it just doesn't feel like he is a presence in the middle-of-the-line-up right now and it might have to do with the pressure of being one of the few hitters in this line-up that can produce.

Right now, Rollins is healthy and seems to be in good shape, right now it seems like he did everything in the off season to prove to the Phillies and the fans that he wants to play out this three-year deal at a high level and I think there is a expectation that Rollins can take it to the next level, much like he did in 2007.

I know there were people who weren't thrilled with bringing Rollins back and then having him hit third in the line-up.  All I can is at this point, you need to be patient with Rollins, he is one of the few established hitters the Phillies have and his outside in the three-hole is better then anyone else on the roster.

Will Rollins ever be the player that we saw win the NL MVP in 2007?  Probably not.

However, if he can give the Phillies the Rollins of 2008 or 2009 they might be alright until Utley and Howard get back.

The question is, if Rollins is preforming in the three-hole when Utley and Howard gets back, where should he hit in the line-up?

Lets hope that is a problem the Phillies have.